


Seven

by BetterYouThanMe



Series: Avatar One Shots [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-20
Packaged: 2019-03-21 22:22:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13750407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BetterYouThanMe/pseuds/BetterYouThanMe
Summary: This is a what if story. It follows the arc of what if Iroh didn't fight Ba Sing Se but ended up capturing the North Pole instead.It's broken up into seven parts with a little pre section (Nulla which is what the Romans used for 0). It mostly follows Zuko and Yue's relationship which is the main cause of the change.





	Seven

_Nulla._

The clock struck one and all that was left behind was a discarded paper hat. It was pointed towards the Library, and so Zuko knocked the hat into the canal and watched the water saturate the parchment. He kept walking, never letting on that the hat meant something.

 

On his way, home the banished Prince thought about how he ended up in this icy desolate place. The structures of ice and snow did not impress him. The North Pole did nothing for him. Instinctively he reached up and touched his left eye. The cold air had helped to heal the burn but did not improve his mood.

 

He hated his father for imprinting his face, hated that this was where he ended up and hated that his uncle couldn't have colonized a warmer place. As he stepped into his home, his mother's soft voice infiltrated his mind, retelling the story of "The battle of the North Pole".

_I._  
_It is much safer to be feared than loved because ...love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails._  
_(Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince)_

  
Iroh stepped into the grand throne room. A place that someday would become his so he could rule, and try to reverse the pain and misery his ancestors wrought. He bowed before his father and awaited the message that Azulon needed to tell him.  
"You are to conquer the Northern Water Tribe," Azulon said. "You leave in the morning."  
And with that Iroh was dismissed. They had discussed several times what would happen when they defeated the North Pole. Azulon trusted his eldest child to handle the situation without a debrief.

  
 ***

  
Once the water around them went from warm to freezing Iroh knew he should prepare his men. This wasn't a battle where they could dock and prepare overnight. The moment they were within reach of the Waterbenders' range they needed to be able to defend themselves.  
The fact that it was a naval battle frightened Iroh. Firebenders could command the ground almost as well as Earthbenders, but the water frightened them. It could douse their fiery rage and conquer them in minutes. On their ships, they were safe but also stranded. They couldn't step into the city because they needed it to be intact for their rule.

  
The Fire Lord did not want to spend money fixing a city made of snow and ice. Iroh just wanted to keep everyone safe. He knew his father hated his kind soul, but he could never forgive himself if innocent people died because of him. He'd rather be loved than feared... unlike his father. The fear of people fueled Azulon's, angry heart.  
His brother Ozai was the same way: he loved hatred. He expected it, wanted it, endorsed it. Iroh did his best to raise Lu Ten differently than how Azula and Zuko were being raised. He had hope in Zuko just like Ursa did, but Azula was already growing into her namesake.

  
The fleet of ships stopped, ice swirled around them as the important people filed onto his ship. One last attempt to get the plan straight. To ensure the lives of not only his men but hopefully the lives of the Northern Water Tribe were not wasted.

  
He sent everyone on their way back to their own ships. They were anchoring for the night to prepare for the battle. Iroh stopped Lu Ten who was commanding his own ship.

  
"My son," Iroh said lovingly, "Remember what I taught you."

  
"I remember."

  
Iroh took his son's hand. Dread filling his mind, a sickening feeling he could not shake. He prayed that his son would come out of this alive. He let go of Lu Ten and let the young man return back to his ship.

  
***

  
Water was flung at them, ice pierced their armor, waves rocked their ships, cannon balls of snow pelted them. It was cold, and wet, and miserable. Yet as badly as they were being hit with water they returned with fire.

  
For days, they attacked from their ships and the Waterbenders attacked from the wall. The fighting stopped at night, a mutual agreement to sleep and rest.  
Iroh's men were getting restless. They wanted to see everything burn, to hear these people break, to fulfill the Fire Nation way. He tried to keep them at bay to remind them of their Fire Lord. That their leader did not want them to step foot in the city until the king surrendered.

  
But most of the warriors were young and had not fought on a large scale. They wanted to please even if it meant disobeying.  
On the seventh day being, it seemed the Waterbenders couldn't take the stationary attacks. They boarded their boats and set out to capture the ships. Iroh sent out a message to capture not kill. He feared that no one listened to him.

  
***

  
The Chief of the Northern Water Tribe surrendered once the sun had risen on the eighth day. Both sides were mourning losses. Iroh's men had not obeyed his rule, and he suffered the most. His men celebrated a victory while he grieved over the loss of his son. His beautiful son.

  
Lu Ten was one of the few men who tried to enforce the capture of the enemy. In the chaos, he was stabbed with a spear of ice and died on the cold metal deck of his ship. Lu Ten watched as no one stopped to help him. They continued to fight. Lu Ten died alone, but he died trying to save a life.

  
One of his men tried to burn one of the Waterbenders. He actually wanted to set the person on fire and watch the flames consume the Water Tribe member. Lu Ten pushed his soldier away causing the man to lose balance and bump a Waterbender who shot and ice spear in reflex.

  
Iroh hated that this is how they won. Through blood, terror, and the pride of young men. When he returned back to the Fire Nation to discuss the North Pole's fate, he found his little brother on the throne.

  
An ambassador was sent to deal with the Northern Water Tribe and Iroh stayed to help Ozai with the kids. He had lost his son, but they had lost their mother. Arguably the only one capable of raising the children.

 

 _II._  
_Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs;_  
_Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes;_  
_Being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears._  
_What is it else? A madness most discreet,_  
_A choking gall, and a preserving sweet._  
_(Shakespeare, Romeo_ and _Juliet)_

 

He made his way to the Library at their designated meeting time. It was pitch black in some sections and a silvery white in others. The snow, ice, and water reflected the light of the moon. Zuko made a small flame at the end of his pointer finger in the inky black places.

 

He was afraid to make anything bigger. The last thing he wanted was to burn the entire place to the ground. Well, he would end up melting everything and it would just congeal into the ocean.

 

She was standing outside of the Library. The soft light of the moon accentuated her features, the whiteness of her hair, the glowing of her skin, her icy blue eyes. Yue looked at home in the cold hue. If Zuko had not come to know her, he would have thought a spirit was before him. An ethereal figure.

 

Yue was beautiful, in her looks, her mind, her soul, and Zuko couldn't believe he had her heart. Their meetings were secret. In the dead of night, where no one could witness their treachery.

 

Her people hated the oppression his father's rule brought, and his father viewed her as nothing. Yue knew she shouldn't like the banned Prince of the Fire Nation, and Zuko couldn't help but defy his father.

 

Yue was everything, and Zuko needed her to live. She stepped towards him and his breath was taken from him. She took his hand and leaned forward into his side.

 

"Follow me," she whispered into his right ear.

 

Yue lead them to the spirits' sanctuary. She hadn't shown Zuko before this moment. Fear took hold of her, only her people were allowed to see this. Yue had finally decided to show him her favorite place.

 

Zuko had been here for a year and a half now, but they had only started to associate a few months ago. The Firebender had bumped into her and nearly knocked her into the canal. He grabbed her hand and pulled her flush against him. Yue had whispered for him to meet her there that night.

 

They had come up with the hat method shortly after. When they met they would choose a destination to leave the hat and point it where they were going to meet. It was completely secret. No one knew but themselves.

 

Zuko hadn't felt this alive since he was young and by his mother's side. He remembered the journey here with his uncle. Iroh had decided to be banished with his nephew. They had a nice home here but it was nothing compared to the Fire Nation Palace. They had no authority or power, but they still frightened the citizens.

 

"It's so warm here," Zuko said as he began to take off his heavier articles of clothing.

 

"It's the only place here that isn't covered in snow," Yue stated, following suit, she began peeling layers off. "The only place where I can pretend that I have a different life."

 

If anyone was to catch them it'd be the scandal of the century. Nothing ever happened up there that would deter it. But they were teens who were in love, nothing could stop them.

 

They spent the night cuddled together talking about everything they could think of. They dozed off for a bit before the bright light of the sun peeked over top of them. Startled, they rushed to throw their warm clothes back on.

  
Zuko began to leave but walked back to kiss her. Time slowed to a halt. He forgot he was wasting precious time, that he needed to leave because to him, Yue was the only thing that mattered. She was the only thing in that moment he cared about. Getting caught didn't even cross his mind until Yue pulled away.  
She smiled sadly as she pushed him further away. The sun had arrived and would cast out their secret love to the others. The moon kept everything concealed in her pale glow.

 

Zuko left the sanctuary first. The freezing air struck him it was not a nice contrast to the warmth he was enveloped in the whole night. The twisting walkways of ice lead him back to his home. He sneaked in as quietly as he could.

 

His heart thundered in his chest, and fear spread in his veins. Iroh could be up at this ungodly hour.

 

Zuko thought he had made it until he heard his uncle in their tiny kitchen. Which wasn't anything but a table (of ice, surprise!) and a designated place to start a fire. Iroh was making tea like usually.

 

"And where have you been all night?"

  
_III._  
_Have you ever noticed how parents can go from the most wonderful people in the world to totally embarrassing in three seconds?_  
_(Rick Riordan, The Red Pyramid)_

 

Yue walked up to the door of Zuko's house. She stood staring at the piece of wood that separated the inside of the house from the frigid air. Yue didn't know the semantics of how the Waterbenders attached the door. And frankly, she didn't care.

  
  
Iroh had invited her over for tea and she managed to slip away and sneak there. It was dangerous for her to be there in the daytime, but she was excited to meet the man that had shaped Zuko. The man that was more of a father to the young Prince than the Fire Lord ever was.

  
  
Yue finally mustered up the courage to knock. The second her knuckles rapped against the door, anxiety bubbled up inside of her. When the older man answered the door, she calmed down a bit. He smiled sweetly at her and ushered Yue in.

  
  
"I know you've lived here your whole life, but you shouldn't be out in that cold." He was kind, and Yue appreciated it.

  
  
"It's always this cold, Sir." The Princess knew to use her manners. She had to treat her elders respectively.

  
  
"Oh, no need to use such formalities here." Iroh closed the door once she walked through the entryway. She knew that their home would be different from hers, but she was still shocked at how small it was. Even though the Fire Nation ruled over them her family got to keep their house. Yue wondered if that was because of Iroh. She knew he was the General that led the attack, but she also knew that he was following orders.

  
  
No matter how kind the person they still had to obey. Zuko had told her all about his Uncles efforts to keep their city intact. To keep their culture the way it was.

  
  
Iroh led her to the kitchen and eating area where the tea was ready to be served. Zuko sat there, and Yue could tell he was nervous. It radiated off of him in waves, which was endearing. Yue thought it was cute that Zuko wanted Iroh to like her, or for her to like Iroh. She wasn't sure which one it was or if it was both.

  
  
***

  
"And then Zuko fell during the dance" Iroh laughed. It was a jolly sound, rich and smooth.

  
  
"Uncle!" Mortified, Zuko hid his face behind his hands.

  
  
"One time Zuko fell into the Turtle-duck pond," Iroh continued to tell embarrassing stories about his nephew.

  
  
A horrified sound escaped Zuko's lips. It piqued Yue's interest and she urged Iroh to continue. Zuko looked at her, betrayed. He knew his girlfriend was enjoying his misery.

  
  
"He was walking around the garden when he spotted his sister and her friends. He leaned to catch a glimpse of what they were doing and a turtle-duck nipped at his ankle. Zuko slipped on some mud and landed in the water."

  
  
"Uncle, that part was supposed to be a secret," Zuko whined.

  
  
"The spying or the fact that a small turtle-duck took you out?" Yue giggled.

  
  
Zuko's cheeks were flooded with heat. Iroh changed the topic asking Yue a question, and she never did learn what part of the story was supposed to stay hidden.

 

She felt at peace when she was around Zuko, and Iroh made this process easy. She hoped one day, maybe when Zuko was Fire Lord that everything would be okay. That they could unite their kingdoms in harmony, and not under a rule of a tyrant.

 

_IV._  
_There is freedom waiting for you,_  
_On the breezes of the sky,_  
_And you ask "What if I fall?"_  
_Oh but my darling,_  
_What if you fly?_  
_(Erin Hanson)_

 

Aang knew they had to enter the North Pole silently. Katara and Sokka's grandma knew someone who could slip them in without the Fire Nation guards noticing.  
The Avatar knew what he had to do. He had to free these people from the Fire Lord's rule. Sokka said they should just enter quietly learn what they had to, and leave. This wasn't the time to face the Fire Nation.

  
Katara and Aang disagreed and since it was two to one Sokka had to go along with their plan. Aang had been meditating frequently, Sokka practiced with his boomerang every chance he got, and Katara practiced her bending.

  
Kanna promised them they could get the Northern Water Tribe to fight on their side. If they wanted to win this war they needed the support of the North Pole. Aang desperately needed to learn Waterbending to defeat Ozai.

  
_***_

  
Yue had been adamant about Zuko meeting the Avatar. She knew that Aang needed someone on the inside to help them defeat the Fire Nation.

  
"If they drive your people out then it could take us in the right step to get you on the throne." She argued.

  
"Fine!" Zuko didn't know how he was going to pull this off. "I'll help them."

  
***

  
The Northern Water Tribe finally drove the Firebenders out of their city. The few guards sat in their boats waiting for the reinforcements to come. The Waterbenders prepared for battle.

  
Aang rallied the fighters promising them they could be great again. The only Fire Nation people in the city were Iroh, Zuko, and the ambassador who ran the government. Yue had convinced her father that Iroh and Zuko were not threats and were on their side. It meant revealing her relationship with the banished Prince. The ambassador was leverage to try and convince the impending navy to leave.

  
They were going to take back the North Pole. Gain the trust of the Northern Water Tribe, and use the newfound skill of Water bending to launch their way forward to fight the Fire Lord. Aang had high hopes for this mission. He would not fail anyone else. He wouldn't let anyone else down. He needed to prove his worth as the Avatar.

 

_V._  
_A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you._  
_(C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)_

 

Zhao's fleet poured into sight, and terror finally made its way into the minds of the Waterbenders. Had they made a mistake trying to free themselves before the Avatar fulfilled his destiny?

  
Iroh tried to debrief them on what to do. He knew Zhao's fighting style, and he knew the younger man was ruthless. Iroh also knew that Ozai did not care how many people died. The Fire Lord did not want to preserve the people so he could rule them. If they did not obey then they did not deserve the right to live.  
Once dawn arrived they were attacked by giant boulders covered in tar and fire. The snow around them melted and the ground shook. Citizens screamed, the battle raged, and the Avatar tried his best to help.

  
  
***

  
Zuko and Sokka decided to sneak onto Zhao's ship to try and overhear a plan or two. They didn't tell anyone where they were going. It almost ran Katara and Yue into the ground with worry. When the returned from their mission successful, and with news to tell, Katara almost attacked them. They made the mistake of still wearing the Fire Nation disguises.

  
"Zhao is planning on setting foot in the city," Sokka said while taking off the armor and throwing it into the canal. Hopefully, they didn't need it again, but they had to erase their trail.

  
"He mentioned the spirits," Zuko added. "Do you think he knows about the sanctuary?"

  
"He can't." Yue jabbed.

  
"Well he is not one for prayer," Retorted Iroh.

  
Seconds after Iroh spoke the earth shook. They looked up to see Fire Nation Ships ramming into the wall. Soldiers began to file from them and the world was ablaze.  
The group moved to safety. Yue blinded by rage and sorrow led them to the oasis, and they did not notice Zhao behind them.

  
***

  
Zhao knew they would sneak onto his ship, he knew which ones they were, and he made sure they heard his conversation. He followed them back, and they led him right to his treasure.

  
Zhao was going to destroy the entire population of Waterbenders. Like in his dreams he was going to kill the moon spirit, Tui. He was going to win the favor of the Fire Lord and become his right-hand man. Zhao was going to overshadow Iroh, Zuko, and Azula.

  
He waited outside the entrance of the little oasis to make his entrance grander. He wanted to see the fear in their eyes as he revealed himself. Wanted to take away their hope.

  
"Step away from the pool!" Zhao bellowed. He relished in the attention as every head turned towards him. The group stepped away slowly. Zuko and Iroh were prepared to whip up the fire, Katara had unscrewed her flask of water, Aang was ready to bend the air, and Sokka stood in front of Yue his trusty boomerang raised.

  
"How... How did you know?" Yue stammered guiltily.

  
"I read about it," Zhao smirked. He wouldn't give up the secret of the Library, but he would torture them with the hint.

  
"Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to fight?" Zuko taunted. His twentieth mistake of the day.

  
Zhao rained down destruction and the group struggled to keep up. It might have been four benders and a boomerang against one, but Zhao had the fuel of his "destiny".

  
In the chaos, Yue managed to get pass Sokka and get behind Zhao. She had a small knife that she thought she could use to kill the man. Zhao turned, grabbed her arm, and put his hand to her throat.

  
"If anyone moves I'll burn her alive." Zhao basked in the terror, "Now one of you bring me the fish."

  
Zuko stepped towards the pond reaching for the fish. Iroh went to stop him, Yue shouted at him, and the others stood ready to formulate an attack. Zuko brought the thrashing fish to Zhao by the tail and flung it at him as the older man pushed Yue away. Zuko steadied her, but couldn't read the emotion in her eyes. The world went dark as Zhao plunged a knife into the fish. Iroh screamed for Zhao to stop, and Yue fell to the ground. 

  
_VI._  
_It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is_ limited, _and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things._  
_(Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid)_

 

Yue told them about how the moon spirit gave her life. How she would have to take its place to keep the world in balance. Everything on the outside the Sanctuary walls was in dismay.

  
  
The Waterbenders couldn't bend and were forced to fight with nothing. They rushed to grab anything that could be a weapon. The Firebenders were destroying everything and anything they could.

  
  
Yue had begun to grow weaker. She urged them to put Tui back in the water so she could complete the cycle. Zuko didn't want to let go of her. The only source of happiness in his life.

  
  
"You have to let me do this," Yue pleaded "I have to do this, Zuko."

  
  
She kissed him one last time and stepped into the water. Silver beams of light engulfed her and Zuko dropped to his knees. Iroh hadn't heard his nephew sob before. When Ozai burned him Zuko didn't cry, but these cries broke Iroh's heart. He knew his nephew was broken now too. The Avatar and the siblings stood awkwardly. Everything was silent and still. The battle raged on outside of their little bubble and the three friends left to help fight. Aang went to Avatar state and ran the Firebenders away. Zuko and Iroh took one of the backup boats and left in shame. They had betrayed their Nation again and didn't win what they wanted.

 

_VII._  
_There are two kinds of guilt: the kind that drowns you until you're useless, and the kind that fires your soul to purpose._  
_(Sabaa Tahir, An Ember in the Ashes)_

 

Zuko was furious, his outbursts grew larger each day. Iroh was worried for him as they escaped the icy waters of the Northern ocean.

  
Zuko didn't accept that it was his fault. His mistakes that led Yue to the plank or that he was the one who ultimately forced her to jump.  The Prince swore up and down that the Avatar was to blame for Yue's death. He forgot that his love died to save everyone, that it was always her fate. He yelled for vengeance, his heart called out for revenge. Zuko needed satisfaction, and he would only get that by capturing Aang. 

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my Fanfiction.net page  
> https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5665438/BetterYouThanMe
> 
> Also If you have a Fanficiton.net account and like writing for ATLA/LOK I made a writing competition: https://www.fanfiction.net/forum/Avatar-The-Last-Writer-Competition/209605/


End file.
